Method and apparatus for supporting rotor assemblies during unbalances

A bearing assembly for a gas turbine engine rotor, said bearing assembly comprising:

• a paired race comprising an outer race and an inner race;
• a bearing between said inner and outer races, said bearing configured to support the rotor on a support frame, such that a cone shaft, having a conical cross-sectional profile, extends between said paired race and an engine rotor shaft;
• a mounting joint comprising a joint inner race and a joint outer race, at least one of said joint inner race and said joint outer race comprising a spherical surface, said mounting joint configured to reduce dynamic loads to the gas turbine engine and static bending to the rotor;
• and
• a plurality of circumferentially spaced mechanical fuses extending through at least one of said joint inner race and said joint outer race such that a position of each said mechanical fuse is offset axially from a centerplane of said bearing races.

A rotor assembly comprising:

• a rotor shaft;
• a cone shaft, including a conical cross-section;
• a support frame;
• and
• a bearing assembly supporting said rotor shaft to said support frame and configured to reduce dynamic loads to said support frame, said cone shaft extending between said bearing assembly and said rotor shaft, said bearing assembly comprising a paired race, a rolling element, and a mounting joint, said paired race comprising an outer race and an inner race, said rolling element between said outer and inner races, said mounting joint comprising a spherical surface;
• and
• a plurality of circumferentially spaced mechanical fuses extending through said mounting joint at least partially into said cone shaft such that a position of each said mechanical fuse is offset axially from a centerplane of said paired race.